Bill Text: CA AB1476 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 1476 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Veterans: transition assistance.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2020-02-03 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB1476 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB1476-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly January 06, 2020

Amended IN Assembly March 26, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1476

Introduced by Assembly Member Ramos

February 22, 2019

~~An act to amend Section 666 of the Penal Code, relating to theft.~~ An act to amend Section 90 of, and to add Section 717 to, the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1476, as amended, Ramos. ~~Theft: punishment.~~ Veterans: transition assistance.

Existing law establishes the transition assistance program, which provides veterans separating from the United States Armed Forces with California-specific information, as specified. Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to take steps to increase awareness of professional licensing benefits for veterans and their spouses.
This bill would direct the department to identify veterans, at the time of separation from the service through the transition assistance program and afterwards as they seek services through the department, who have expertise in information technology, cybersecurity, and related information technology fields. The bill would require the department to use this information to provide veterans who wish to participate with information about training and other resources that will help in obtaining a civilian career in the information technology field.
The existing Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted as an initiative statute by Proposition 47, as approved by the electors at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, makes the theft of property that does not exceed $950 in value petty theft, and makes that crime punishable as a misdemeanor, with certain exceptions. Existing law, as amended by the act, allows petty theft to be punished as a misdemeanor or a felony if the person has been previously convicted of specified offenses, including petty theft, grand theft, burglary, or carjacking, but only if the person is either required to register as a sex offender or has been convicted of certain serious or violent offenses.
The existing Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act authorizes the Legislature to amend its provisions by a 23 vote of each house of the Legislature if the amendments are consistent with, and further the intent of, the act.
This bill would amend the act to instead authorize any person to be charged with a misdemeanor or felony for petty theft with specified priors without regard to whether the person is required to register as a sex offender or has been convicted of specified violent or serious felonies. The bill would make a felony violation of this crime punishable in a county jail. By increasing the punishment of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
~~This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.~~

Vote: ~~TWO_THIRDS~~MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: ~~YES~~NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 90 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read:

90.

(a) ~~By July 1, 2015, the~~ The department shall develop a transition assistance program for veterans who have been discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard of any state. The program shall be designed to assist veterans in successfully transitioning from military to civilian life in California and to complement the transition program offered by the United States Department of Defense. The program shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following California-specific transition assistance information: higher education benefits and program information, vocational training assistance, small business resources and information, health care programs and services, mental health resources and information, military sexual trauma resources and information, and housing information.

(b) The transition assistance program for veterans shall provide information to noncitizens who are leaving military service in California or who have already been discharged from military service in California on how to become United States citizens, including information on where to acquire state legal assistance.

(c) Through the transition assistance program, the department shall identify and collect information from separating service members with military occupational specialties, ratings, qualifications, or other relevant experience in information technology, cybersecurity, and similar technology-related specialties who seek postservice civilian careers in the information technology field. The department shall use the collected information to provide identified members who desire to participate with information about relevant training and resources, such as contacts for departments and courses available at University of California and California State University schools and information technology or cybersecurity industry recruiters, and to assist in transitioning to civilian information technology careers.

SEC. 2.

Section 717 is added to the Military and Veterans Code, to read:

717.
(a) The department shall identify and collect information from veterans seeking services from the department who have a military occupational specialty, rating, qualification, or other relevant experience in the field of information technology, cybersecurity, and similar technology-related specialties who seek civilian employment in the information technology field. The department shall use the collected information to inform veterans who desire to participate about relevant training and resources, such as contacts for departments of, and courses available at, University of California and California State University schools and information technology or cybersecurity industry recruiters, to assist in obtaining employment.
(b) The department shall coordinate with other departments and agencies to identify training opportunities and other resources to assist veterans with information technology skills in obtaining civilian employment.

SECTION 1.Section 666 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
666.
(a)Notwithstanding Section 490, any person who, having been convicted of petty theft, grand theft, a conviction pursuant to subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 368, auto theft under Section 10851 of the Vehicle Code, burglary, carjacking, robbery, or a felony violation of Section 496, and having served a term of imprisonment therefor in any penal institution or having been imprisoned therein as a condition of probation for that offense, and who is subsequently convicted of petty theft, is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.
~~(b)This section does not preclude prosecution or punishment pursuant to subdivisions (b) to (i), inclusive, of Section 667, or Section 1170.12.~~
SEC. 2.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.